Fyodor Dostoevsky, Prestuplenie i nakazanie [Crime and Punishment]

Richard Peace (University of Bristol)
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Prestuplenie i nakazanie

[

Crime and Punishment

] is a novel with many sub-plots and minor characters, but all are related to its central plot. Raskolnikov, a student dropout, lives half-starving in a tiny room in St Petersburg. He refuses help from his friend Razumikhin; for he has a plan to murder an old woman moneylender, Alëna [Alena; Alyona], and gain her wealth. At the same time this act also has a philosophical underpinning, as is later revealed by an article he has written. The minor characters Lebeziatnikov and Luzhin act as a commentary on the background of these ideas.

At the opening of the novel he manages to avoid his landlady, to whom he owes rent, and make a foray into the city. Here he meets the drunkard, Marmeladov, and learns of his daughter, Sonia – a prostitute full

1952 words

Citation: Peace, Richard. "Prestuplenie i nakazanie". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 17 August 2004 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=5800, accessed 19 March 2024.]

5800 Prestuplenie i nakazanie 3 Historical context notes are intended to give basic and preliminary information on a topic. In some cases they will be expanded into longer entries as the Literary Encyclopedia evolves.

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